Nancy Robards - How to Marry a Doctor

“Try this one.” Anna’s sister, Emily, shoved a royal blue sundress with a white Indian motif on the front through the opening in the fitting room curtain in the Three Sisters dress shop in downtown Celebration. “It looks like the basis of a good first-date outfit.”

Anna still wasn’t sure who her date was or where they were going, but one thing she did know was they were getting together on Wednesday and she had nothing to wear. It had been so long since she’d worn anything but jeans or hospital scrubs, she didn’t have a stitch appropriate for a...date. Plus, she had a busy week ahead and this was Emily’s night off. So Anna figured she might as well seize the moment and bring her sister along to help her pick out something nice. If she felt good with what she was wearing, she might feel less nervous on the date, thereby eliminating one potential avenue of stress...or disaster.

She held up the dress her sister had chosen and looked at herself in the mirror. The white pattern running up the front of the dress had a design that might’ve made a nice henna tattoo. It was a little wild for her taste.

“I don’t know, Em, this one looks a little low cut.”

“Try it on. You never can tell when it’s on the hanger.”

Wasn’t that the truth? The same rule could apply to men, too. You had to try them on—well, not literally, of course. She couldn’t fathom getting intimate with a man. Even if it was a man Jake had picked out for her. Not that she was contemplating life as a born-again virgin. It was just too much to contemplate right now. First, she’d meet the guy or guys—Jake did have until the wedding—and see how she got along with him or them. Then she’d think about...more.

The thought made her shudder a little.

She slipped out of the dress she’d just tried on and hung it up—it was a prim flowery number in primary colors. It was too dowdy—too matronly—too... something. Anna couldn’t put her finger on it. Whatever it was, it just didn’t feel right.

“Who did you fix Jake up with?” Emily asked from the other side of the fitting room curtain.

“Her name is Cheryl Woodly. She’s a freelance nutritionist who works with new mothers. I met her at the hospital.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s she like?”

Anna slipped the dress over her head.

“Nice. Smart. Pretty.”

“How is she different from Jake’s past girlfriends?”

“Did you not hear me say she’s nice and smart ? Miss Texas possessed neither of those qualities.”

“Me-ow,” said Emily.

“I’m only speaking the truth.”

“When are they going out?”

“Friday.”

Anna stared at herself in the mirror, tugged up on the plunging halter neckline, trying to give the girls a little more coverage. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to put everything on display on a first date. The dress was great, but it was decidedly not her .

“Anna? Did you try on the one I just gave you?”

“Yeah, but—I don’t know.”

“Come out. Let’s see it.”

“Nah. Too much cleavage. Too little dress.”

Anna hesitated, turning around to check out the back view. She had to admit it was a snappy little number and it looked great from behind. But the front drew way too much focus to the cleavage and that made her squirm.

“Let me see.” Before Anna could protest, Emily’s face poked through the split in the curtain.

Anna’s had flew up to her chest.

“It looks great,” Emily said. “The color is out of this world on you. It brings out your eyes. And move your hand.”

Emily swatted away her sister’s hand from its protective station.

“I don’t know what you’re afraid of. It accentuates your tiny waist and you’re barely showing any cleavage at all. It’s just-right sexy. A far cry from those scrubs you hide in every day.”

“My scrubs are for work. They’re my uniform.” Anna turned back to the mirror and put her hands on her hips. She turned to left and then to the right. “You’re just jealous that you don’t ever get to dress so comfortably at work.”

By day, Emily worked in a bank in Dallas and wore suits to work. Because she was saving for a house, two or three times a week she worked as a hostess at Bistro St. Germaine, where she had to dress in sleek, sophisticated black to fit in with the timeless elegance of the downtown Celebration restaurant. Emily had great taste in clothes. Anna would’ve asked if she could borrow something from her younger sister—and Emily would’ve graciously dressed her—but it was time for Anna to add a couple of new pieces to her own wardrobe.

“Scrubs are like wearing jammies to work every day,” Emily said.

“You know you would if you could,” Anna said.

Emily rolled her eyes. “I think you should buy that dress. If not for a date, for you.”

“I’ll think about it. Now let me change.”

Emily stepped back and let Anna close the curtain. Before Anna took off the dress, she did one last three-sixty. It really was cute, in a boho-sexy sort of way.

“Do you really think Jake has some good prospects in mind for you?”

“Who knows? We just talked about this a couple of days ago.”

She slipped off the dress and put it with a cute red dress with a bow that tied in front. As she pulled on her jeans and plain white T-shirt, Emily said, “You don’t sound very enthusiastic. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“The ball is already rolling. It’s just until the wedding. I’ll be surprised if it’s even five dates. We’ll see what happens.”

When Anna opened the curtain, she noticed a certain look on her sister’s face.

“What?” Anna asked and gathered the clothes, keeping the red and blue dresses separate from the things she didn’t want.

“I have to be honest,” Emily said. “I always thought you and Jake would end up together.”

Her stomach clenched in a way that bothered her more than her sister’s words.

“Emily, why would you say that? Jake and I are friends. Good friends. Nothing more.”

“Because for better or worse, you two have always stuck together. I mean, I grew up with him, too, but you don’t see him hanging out with me. The two of you have always had a really strong bond. Think about it. You and Jake outlasted your marriage. Why the heck are you fixing him up with someone else?”

“Emily, don’t. That’s not fair.”

Anna walked away from her sister.

“Yes, it is. Why is it not fair?”

Anna set the two dresses she wanted to buy on the counter and handed the hanging clothing she didn’t want to the sales clerk. After she paid for her purchases and they were outside the Three Sisters shop, Emily resumed the conversation.

“What’s not fair about it?”

“You know I can’t date Jake. He’s my friend . He’s always been my friend and that’s all we will ever be.”

Anna felt heat begin to rise up her neck and bloom on her cheeks.

“Then why are you blushing?” Emily asked.

Anna turned and walked to the next storefront, the hardware store, and studied the display as if she’d find the perfect pair of sandals to go with her first-date dress hidden somewhere among the tool kits, ladders and leaf blowers showcased in the window.

Of course, Emily was right behind her. Anna could see her sister’s reflection in the glass. She couldn’t look at her own as she tried to figure out exactly what was making her so emotional. It wasn’t the fact that she was fixing Jake up with someone who could potentially change his mind about marriage being the equivalent of emotional Siberia. Good grief, she was the one who came up with a plan in the first place.

Now Emily’s arm was on Anna’s shoulder.